Will Smith broke into movies with his first leading part in the 1995 buddy cop action movie Bad Boys – but his iconic role as Mike Lowrey was actually originally meant for Saturday Night Live alumnus Dana Carvey. The blockbuster, which grossed $141 million at the box office and spawned two sequels including 2020's Bad Boys For Life, co-starred Martin Lawrence and was helmed by Transformers director Michael Bay. The film follows two Miami detectives who protect a murder witness while investigating a drug smuggling case.
Smith was just in the midst of breaking out as a star at the time, having appeared in five seasons of the sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and appearing in supporting roles in movies like Made in America and Six Degrees of Separation. Penned by George Gallo and produced by hit-making duo Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, Bad Boys showed a different, grittier side of Smith and more than proved he could carry a film. But he was far from the producers' first choice, and, in fact, the initial actor they wanted for the role was quite different.
Dana Carvey had been an SNL star from 1986 to 1993, dominating pop culture with his impression of President George H.W. Bush and his role as Garth in the Wayne’s World sketches and films. Carvey left the show with an offer to take over Late Night with David Letterman and a batch of movies in 1994, including Clean Slate, The Road to Wellville, and Trapped in Paradise, none of which were successful. Carvey’s next project was going to be Bad Boys as both Simpson and Bruckheimer were fans who apparently met with Carvey and pitched the idea for a buddy cop movie starring him and SNL pal Jon Lovitz. It was initially tailored for the duo’s humor and tentatively titled Bulletproof Hearts. At the same time, Carvey was performing stand-up comedy and writing a film based on his SNL characters Hans and Franz with Kevin Nealon. Overwhelmed by his options and also being a new parent to two baby boys, Carvey dropped out of the project, so it was re-conceptualized for Smith and Lawrence.
Because of the film's success, Smith was cast in Independence Day and immediately became one of Hollywood’s biggest box office draws. Carvey, on the other hand, returned to television in 1996 with his own self-titled sketch comedy show, but it was canceled after just a few episodes. The comedian would spend the next 25 years performing stand-up, making small guest appearances, hosting podcasts, and starring in only one movie, the ill-received Master of Disguise in 2002.
From 21 Jump Street to Lethal Weapon, buddy cop movies have remained a popular genre for decades, pairing actors and comedians for wild rides filled with laughs and action. It's hard to imagine anyone outside of Smith, who is preparing to star in I Am Legend 2, and Lawrence in the roles of Lowery and Burnett as the film is very much centered around their personalities. Carvey and Lovitz would have made Bad Boys a very different comedy film, which may have altered the direction of all four of their careers had the initial plan gone ahead.
Comments
Post a Comment